Lompoc council discusses water rate increase

Water rates could be going up in Lompoc. The Lompoc City Council is expected to decide Tuesday night if it wants to hold public hearings over the issue.

The proposal would increase water rates by 15 percent. Waste water rates would also go up by 21 percent if it moves on from Tuesday and passes the public hearing.

To put it in to perspective, if you are paying $45 a month now it would go up to $51 a month. That would be an extra $60 a year.

“The obligation to pay back the largest loan we got was for the waste water plant, which we got in 2009 and we owe approximately $4.5 million a year on that. So the biggest proportion of the rate increase that we need is to insure that we have enough revenues coming in to meet those bond and loan obligations,” said Lompoc Services Manager Brad Wilkie.

City officials said the increase could decrease after the first year. The council has the option to revisit the topic every year and determine if the percentage can come down.

If the council moves forward, a public hearing will be scheduled for Aug. 6.